Love in the Shadows
by Harley's Little Harlequin
Summary: During a late night walk along the shore Barnabas sees a red flame in the night that makes his heart race in both fear and wonder and his mind question his choice in whom his heart choses. My first one shot for Dark Shadows so please R&R!


Darkest Shadows.

The day had seemed to drag on for Julia being shut up in her office all day had put a crick in her neck and an odd feeling to go outside and enjoy the night, it was a nearly full moon and the cool air might help get rid of the head ache she could feel brewing in the base of her skull. With a sigh she got to her feet and exchanged her lap coat in favor of a thin red jacket to block out the chilled November air and walked quietly from her office. She navigated the large hall ways with ease being sure to avoid the boards outside the doors to Elizabeth's office as she tip toed past it and down the stairs.

Once she was in front of the main door she slipped on her heels and glanced out the window her eyes falling on a shadowy figure walking toward the shore making her brows knit together until she remembered that she and the rest of the family was sharing the house with a vampire. She waited until Barnabas' form disappeared behind the large rocks of the shore before she stepped out into the night taking in a deep breath of salty air, it was rare when she ventured out of the house and she wondered why she hadn't come out before at night to get out of Collinswood's suffocating walls.

She began to walk along the path away from the house not really paying mind to where she was going as long as it was the other way from where Barnabas was as she watched her feet as her black heels made inky spots over the fallen leaves around her. It wasn't until a blast of icy and briny wind hit her face did she look up to find herself standing mere feet from the end of the large cliff everyone called Widows Hill. She chuckled to her self finding it hardly surprising she'd ended up here while thinking about Barnabas and how the mere thought of him made her fear of the high cliff seem less important to the ache in her heart.

Slipping off her heels she took a few steps closer to the edge and peeked over looking at the swirling tide bellow then at the jagged black rocks as the tide was taken away, it was interesting to watch as with each wave white foam covered the rocks before being swept away again but she kept her distance from the dangerously narrow edge as she looked up and along the shore where Barnabas' form looked like the rest of the beach in the inky night as the moon hid behind a cloud.

She let her eyes wonder up to the cloud as a flash caught her eye fallowed by a low rumble, storm clouds and they were moving in fast...

Meanwhile on the beach Barnabas was deep in thought about everything and anything to keep his mind silent of Julia Hoffmen, no matter how hard he tried he could not suppress the feeling that bubbled up with in him upon the thought of her. He paused in his walking turning his gaze to the open churning water as a low rumble sounded from the distance, the wind began to howl blowing with it the scent of rain and a faint hint of something so out of place in the surrounding area. Lightning flashed and drew his eyes to the dreaded cliff that seemed to mock him every day but in that second when the sky was lit by the flash he caught sight of a flicker of red like a candle flame in a black room and his heart jumped to his throat while his stomach fell to his feet, Julia was standing on the cliff watching the black waters as the sky began to shower down freezing drops of water.

Without waisting a moment he ran as fast as possible to the cliff. When he finally reached it the rain was coming in sheets and the wind was roaring loudly while the lightning flashed and the thunder bellowed deafeningly but Julia didn't seem bothered by any of it as she stood stalk still watching the choppy water before her while the wind whipped her hair around her head making it appear like a flickering flame of crimson red.

"Dr. Hoffmen! Come away from there it is to dangerous to be here in this storm or at any time!"

His shouts barely sounded like a whisper over the wind and thunder but Julia heard him turning her head to look at him before she turned around to face him her eyes wide and illuminated in the flashing lightning.

"Barnabas I-"

Her words were cut off as she screamed when a flash of lightning struck the tree not 10 feet from her making her step away to put distance between herself and the strike, in her haste to do so her bare feet slipped on the soaked ground and sent her sprawling on the ground closer to the edge then before. She looked up at him her eyes terrified as her nails dug into the dirt as if it was the only way she wouldn't fall. Moving swiftly but carefully Barnabas went to her and pulled her away from the edge by her wrist stumbling back with her held to his chest as she shook unable to look over her shoulder at the cliff. She finally looked up at him when his cool fingers lightly stroked her cheek and lifted her chin to look at him. She looked so terrified and venerable, more than he ever thought the strong faced woman doctor to be, almost child like as her eyes spilled tears that rolled down her cheeks mixed with cold rain.

"Are you alright Julia?"

His voice was soft so as not to frighten her more and some how over the raging storm she heard him and nodded but paused then began shaking her head opening and closing her mouth looking for words that seemed lost until she looked back at the cliff.

"I didn't mean to get so close really I didn't but the storm made me afraid to move in case the rain weakened the ground, I'm sorry Barnabas I'm so sorry!"

Barnabas felt his heart slowly return to its place in his chest as she rambled apologies her eyes darting to the cliffs edge between them. He finally noticed she was shaking but no longer from fear but rather from the cold, he could feel it on her skin as it became cold as his own. Taking a step away from her he tried to lead her away from the cliff back to the house but her legs wouldn't move, still frozen in shock, so he tried a different approach.

"Pardon my reach madam."

He said the words softly as he lifted her off her feet with one arm under the backs of her knees and the other around her waist supporting her while her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck to help hold her up, though he didn't need to to him she was light as air. Once she was held securely in his arms he made his way back to the house and with in a matter of moments had her sitting in front of a lit fireplace wrapped in the thickest blanket he could find while he watched over her from a short distance away. After only a few moments in front of the fire she rested her head on the back of the couch and fell into a light sleep, Barnabas found his eyes tracing every feature of her face but snapped to the entrance of the room when footsteps sounded from the corridor. With in moments of hearing them the owner to the foot steps became known as Elizabeth entered the room jumping slightly when she seen Barnabas.

"Barnabas what are you doing down here so late?"

Her eyes looked over the the fire roaring in the fire place then slowly to Julia's sleeping and still damp form on the couch and her eyes widened as they looked back at the vampire.

"What happened?! Why is Julia soaked to the skin and passed out."

Barnabas thought about making a comment that the later if the two things she'd said wasn't uncommon but decided against it as he watched her make her way to the side of the couch looking over the sleeping red head seeing the mud that dirtied the front of her dress and the blades of grass that clung to her pale legs.

"She was caught outside in the storm near Widows Hill."

Elizabeth's eyes snapped up to his face at the name of the notorious cliff.

"Why the hell was she up there? Why was she outside so late at all she rarely leaves any more?"

Barnabas looked at the sleeping doctor though it seemed uneasy now at the mention of the cliff but Elizabeth took no notice of it as she fixed the blanket around her friend.

"I cannot answer that myself Elizabeth she never stated."

Elizabeth sighed shaking her head as she stood up looking outside crossing her arms then back to Barnabas.

"What would have done if she had gone up there to jump off? Would you have tried to stop her at all?"

Barnabas looked at Elizabeth at a loss for words as his mouth opened and closed a few times trying to say something, anything.

"If that had been the case Elizabeth I assure you I would have did what was needed to stop her."

Elizabeth looked him over her eyes narrowing for a moment before she sighed and turned to leave the room pausing to glance at him again then Julia before leaving the room a small "good night" said over her shoulder. Once Elizabeth's foot steps faded away Barnabas found his gaze returning to Julia who shifted now showing she was awake as she lifted a hand to hold her head but yanked it away feeling the dampness of her hair.

"Why am I soaking wet?! Urg my dress is ruined!"

Barnabas watched as she stood casting the blanket away looking down at her self before turning to face him gasping as she realized she wasn't alone in the room.

"Barnabas you surprised me..."

She trailed off as she realized he was just as soaked as she and his pant legs were splattered with mud and grass as well, a flush rose to her cheeks as she remembered what had happened not even 20 minutes before. Seeing her mood shift again he stepped to her side making her glance at him then turn away running a hand through her damp hair.

"Did you mean what you said?"

Her voice was hardly a whisper as she watched the dancing flames her hand still messing with her hair making her curls messy and as they dried became tangled. Barnabas looked at her slightly confused before he realized she'd been awake while he and Elizabeth had been speaking.

"Yes madam I did, to Elizabeth you are a part of this family and I swore to ensure no harm would come to any member of the family."

He could see her shoulders slump slightly as she heaved a sigh and walked to the table near the window that held crystal bottles and glasses, she poured herself a drink taking a long drink from the glass of scotch before facing him.

"Right, well thank you for saving me still Barnabas, I'll see you at your next appointment."

She began to walk back to her room crestfallen but gasped as a cool hand encircled her wrist making her stop in her tracks but not look back at him knowing the moment she did she would fall into his dark eyes and her heart would suffer even farther when she would have to face him trying to become human for Vicky, even thinking the name brought bile to her tongue. Barnabas said nothing but gently tugged her wrist and made her spin around to face him but before she could say a word cool lips pressed against her own making her blink and freeze in shock, slowly she unfroze and kissed back her free hand dropping the glass it held letting it fall to the floor and shatter.

Barnabas broke the kiss after a moment looking down into the hazel eyes that fluttered open to see him. He placed a gentle hand to her cheek the coolness of it cooling the flush that made her cheeks pink.

"But I must admit that I would greatly miss your company as well my dear."

Julia's eyes searched his face looking for any sign of a lie but when there was no trace she let a smile tug at the corner of her mouth as she leaned into his touch.

"You'd miss me? Why? You'd have Vicky to keep you busy, get your mind off my boring presents weather I'm here or not."

He looked at her his eyebrows drawing together but let his thumb trace the shape of her lips while his other released her wrist and found its way to her hip as his eyes starred into her's.

"Your presents is anything but boring my dear and it would leave a very dull and dark hole if something were to happen to you."

Julia allowed herself a smile before she turned in his hold so her back was to him and tried to walk away only to have herself pulled back against his chest.

"You are still the most beautiful creature to live."

Julia looked at him over her shoulder at his words her cheeks flushing but shock filled her eyes as her heart skipped a beat.

"W-what about Victoria? I thought you loved her it's all you ever talk about, becoming human for her."

Barnabas gave her waist a light squeeze making her give off a small noise that reminded him of a kittens purr as her hands rested upon his wrists.

"It would seem my heart belongs else where than where my mind believed it to, sadly it the fear of losing you to see it my dear but I can assure you that as long as I live no harm will come to you."

Julia smiled and allowed herself to lean back into his hold her mind reviling in the glory that he loved her, her not Vicky. She turned in his arms and stood on her tip toes pressing her lips to his once more smiling inside as he kissed back with equal vigor while his arms held her close. She pulled back enough to look into his eyes.

"I love you Barnabas Collins."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment as though he had forgotten how to speak and doubt washed over her making her smile fall and her body try to turn away from him until the words left his mouth finally.

"I love you as well Julia."


End file.
